Group Coms Midterm
Social Exchange Theory
All relationships have give and take, although the balance of this exchange is not always equal. Social Exchange theory explains how we feel about a relationship with another person as depending on our perceptions of: The balance between what we put into the relationship and what we get out of it. The kind of relationship we deserve. The chances of having a better relationship with someone else.
Opinion seeker
Asks for a clarification of the values and opinions expressed by other group members
Information seeker
Asks for clarification of suggestions; also asks for facts or other information that may help the group deal with the issues at hand
Compromiser
Attempts to resolve conflicts by trying to find an acceptable solution to disagreements among group members
Orienter (summarizer)
Attempts to summarize what has occurred and tries to keep the group focused on the task at hand
Aggressor
Destroys or deflates the status of other group members; may try to take credit for someone else's contribution
Procedural technician
Helps the group achieve its goal by performing tasks such as distributing papers, rearranging the seating, or running errands for the group
Standard setter
Helps to set standards and goals for the group
Communication
Human communication is how you make sense out of the world and share that sense with others. Communication is what people say, how they say it, and to whom they say it. This process is the primary focus of study in small group communication research.
Physiology
Maslow termed the first level of needs, at the bottom of the hierarchy, physiological needs. People have physiological needs for air, water, and food.
Harmonizer
Mediates disagreements among group members
Initiator-contributor
Proposes new ideas or approaches to group problem solving; may suggest a different procedure or approach to organizing the problem-solving task
Elaborator
Provides examples based on his or her experience or the experience of others that help to show how an idea or suggestion would work if the group accepted a particular course of action
Information giver
Provides facts, examples, statistics, and other evidence that pertains to the problem the group is attempting to solve
Help seeker
Tries to evoke a sympathetic response from others; often expresses insecurity or feelings of low self-worth
Energizer
Tries to spur the group to action and attempts to motivate and stimulate the group to greater productivity
obedience
that they were just following orders from their superiors. (electric shock) more than 65% were obedient to experimenter and still kept shocking innocent people.
Bandwagon
"Everybody is in favor of expanding the city park, so you should favor it too" is an example of the bandwagon fallacy. Someone using this fallacy tries to convince you that an idea is good simply because "everybody" else thinks it's good; hence, you should jump on the bandwagon and support the idea. Judge an idea on its merits, not just because of a popular opinion poll. As we noted in Chapter 1, one disadvantage of group discussion is that the group may give in to pressure from others.
Synergy pg 43
A condition in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Just as you are more than a composite of your various parts (you are you, after all), groups must be seen as more than the sum of their elements. Synergy is present when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When individuals form groups, they create something—the group—that didn't exist before; the group is more than the individuals who compose it. And, as we learned in Chapter 1, the performance of the group is often superior to the performance of the individuals within it.10
Hasty generalization pg 96
A person reaching a conclusion on the basis of too little evidence or evidence that doesn't exist is making a hasty generalization. As we noted while discussing tests of evidence or tests of inductive reasoning, one or two examples do not prove your point. For example, because a friend of yours got ripped off by a service station when vacationing in Texas doesn't mean that you should avoid all service stations in Texas. Here's another example: "We don't need to spend more money on music education in our schools; my son listens to classical music at home, and so can other students."
Interdependence pg 42
A relationship among components in a system such that a change in one component affects all other components. The components of group process are interrelated in such a way that a change in one component can alter the relationships among all other components. A shift in cohesiveness or composition can change the group's productivity level.7 The loss of a group member or the addition of a new member causes a change felt throughout the system. Interdependence in the small group makes the study of small group communication both fascinating and difficult: None of the variables involved may be understood properly in isolation.
Equifinality pg 43
A systems-theory principle that a final state may be reached by multiple paths and from different initial states. The principle of equifinality states that a system's final state may be reached by multiple paths and from different initial states; there is more than one way to reach the goal. This is an inherent characteristic of open systems. Even systems (or groups and teams) that share the same initial conditions can reach very different end states.
Maslow's Theory of needs pg 57
Abraham Maslow asserted that all humans have basic needs that can be arranged in a hierarchy; that is, people do not concern themselves with higher-level needs until lower-level needs are satisfied.2 Figure 3.1 illustrates how interpersonal needs form a hierarchy.
goals pg 50
All groups have goals. A goal may be to provide therapy for members, to complete some designated task, or simply to have a good time. Individual group members also have goals. Often individual goals complement the group goal; sometimes, though, they do not. Effective teamwork requires shared, clear, specific goals
Follower
Basically goes along with the suggestions and ideas of other group members; serves as an audience in group discussions and decision making
Causal fallacy
Causal fallacy is the inappropriate assumption that one event is the cause of another when there is little evidence to connect the two events. The Latin phrase used to summarize this fallacy is post hoc, ergo propter hoc, which translates as "after this, therefore because of this." Superstitions are prime examples of causal fallacies. Your assumption that your "lucky" rabbit's foot helps you perform better on math tests probably can't be demonstrated with facts and evidence. It's your ability to study and learn math that determines your test results, not whether you have a rabbit's foot in your pocket. Be on the lookout for group members who inappropriately try to connect one event to another without adequate cause and effective evidence.
Fact-inference
Confusion Statements of fact can be made only after direct observation. Inferences can be made at any time; no observation is necessary to make an inference. Fact-inference confusion occurs when people respond to something as if they have actually observed it, when in reality they have merely drawn a conclusion. The key distinction between a fact and an inference is that in statements of inference people can speculate about and interpret what they think occurred. Suppose, for example, that you hear someone comment,"Men are better than women at math." If this statement were true, it would mean that all men and women were tested and that the results indicated that men are better in math than women. The statement is an inference. If the speaker is summarizing research that has investigated the issue, he or she should say, "Some studies have found that. . . ." rather than "It's a fact that. . . ." The first statement more accurately describes reality than does the second. Like bypassing and allness statements, fact-inference confusion can lead to inaccuracy and misunderstanding.
syllogism
Deductive reasoning can be presented in the form of a syllogism—a way of organizing or structuring an argument in three parts: (1) a major premise, (2) a minor premise, and (3) a conclusion.
Gatekeeper and expediter
Encourages less talkative group members to participate and tries to limit lengthy contributions of other group members
Symbolic convergence theory pg 49
Group members develop a group consciousness and identity through the sharing of fantasies or stories, which are often chained together and have a common theme. of communication explains how certain types of communication shape a group's identity and culture, which in turn influence other dynamics such as norms, roles, and decision making. Over time groups develop a collective consciousness with shared emotions, motives, and meanings.
Low Status members
Group members with low status Such group members Direct conversation to high-status rather than low-status members Communicate more positive messages to high-status members Are more likely to have their comments ignored Communicate more irrelevant information Talk to high-status members as a substitute for climbing the social hierarchy in the group In online groups are more likely than high-status members to use first-person pronouns and exclamation points.
Blocker
Is generally negative, stubborn, and disagreeable without apparent reason
Group observer
Keeps records of the group's process and uses the gathered information gathered to evaluate the group's procedures
high contact / low contact
Low-contact culture. A culture in which people are uncomfortable being touched and require more personal space. High-contact culture. A culture in which people tend to touch others and to require less personal space. In some cultures, people are more comfortable being touched or being physically close to others; these are said to be high-contact cultures. Individuals from low-contact cultures tend to prefer more personal space, typically make less eye contact with others, and are much more uncomfortable with being touched or approached by others.30 Whether group members are from high- or low-contact cultures can affect preferred seating arrangements and other aspects of small-group ecology. For example, people from some cultural groups, such as the Chinese, prefer sitting side by side rather than directly across from one another.31 Fathi Yousef and Nancy Briggs found that in Middle Eastern countries it is appropriate to stand close enough to someone to smell their breath.32 North Americans usually prefer more space around them than do Latin Americans, Arabs, and Greeks.33 Cultural differences can also be found among ethnic groups within the same country.
Dominator
Makes an effort to assert authority by manipulating group members or attempting to take over the entire group; may use flattery or assertive behavior to dominate the discussion
Evaluator-critic
Makes an effort to judge the evidence and conclusions that the group suggests
questions of policy
Most problem-solving discussions revolve around questions of policy—questions that help groups determine what course of action or policy change would enable them to solve a problem or reach a decision. "What should be done to improve the quality of education in U.S. colleges and universities?" and "What can Congress do to reduce America's national debt?" are examples of policy questions. These questions can be identified easily because answers to them require changes of policy or procedure. Discussion questions including phrases such as "What should be done about...?" or "What could be done to improve...?" are policy questions. Most legislation in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives is proposed in response to specific policy questions. A well-written policy question should adhere to three criteria: It should imply that a problem exists, it should be limited in scope, and it should be controversial enough to spark discussion. 1. A policy question should imply that a specific problem exists and must be solved. The question "What should be done about UFOs?" is not an appropriate policy question because it does not provide enough direction to a specific problem. Do not confuse a discussion topic with a discussion question. If your group is going to discuss UFOs, it has a topic, but it is not trying to solve a problem. The group could rephrase the discussion question to make it more policy-oriented: "What could be done to improve the way the government reports and investigates UFO sightings in the United States?" The rephrased question more clearly implies that there is a problem in the way the government investigates sightings of UFOs. The latter question provides clearer direction for research and analysis. 2. A policy question should be limited in scope. Do not try to tackle a complex problem unless your group has the time and resources to solve it. For example, a group of students was assigned the task of formulating a policy question, discussing it, and then reporting the results of the discussion to the class. The students had three weeks to analyze and suggest possible solutions to the problem they had chosen to investigate, which was "What should be done to deal with health care?" Although the question clearly implies a specific problem, its lack of focus frustrated the group. A more limited discussion question, such as "What should be done to improve access to affordable prescription drugs for the elderly in our community?" would have been more manageable. You would do better to consider a simple, clearly worded question that can be analyzed in the time period allotted to your group than a question that would keep the U.S. Congress busy for several months or even years. On the other hand, a group should not phrase a policy-discussion question so that it requires only a yes or no answer or limits the group's options for solutions. Given this criterion, "Should it be illegal to send text messages while driving in a school zone?" is a less-satisfactory policy discussion topic than "What can be done to ensure greater safety for children in a school zone?" The second question gives the group more options to consider to achieve the goal of children's safety in a school zone. 3. A policy question should be controversial. A policy question should be about an important issue. An issue is a question about which individuals disagree. If group members disagree about how to solve a problem, they should not necessarily select another issue. Conflict, controversy, and disagreement should not always be viewed negatively. If group members agreed on how to solve a problem at the beginning of a discussion, they would have nothing to discuss. The purpose of a group discussion is to consider all alternatives and to agree on the best one. Therefore, do not reject a discussion question because other group members may hold contrasting points of view. The four types of discussion questions (of fact, of prediction, of value, and of policy) may not appear to overlap, but as one researcher observed, groups must concern themselves with questions of fact, prediction, and value when considering questions of policy.53 They must judge evidence as true or false (questions of fact). They must ponder whether the proposed solution will be effective in the future (questions of prediction). Their attitudes, beliefs, and values (questions of value) will influence the decisions they make on policy changes (questions of policy).
Norms pg 50
Norms are standards that establish which behaviors are normally permitted or encouraged within the group and which are forbidden or discouraged. Every group, from your family to the president's cabinet, develops and maintains norms. Some norms are formal, such as a rule about when a group must use parliamentary procedure. Formal, explicitly stated norms are rules that prescribe how group members should behave. Other norms are informal, such as the fact that your study group always meets 15 minutes late. Not only do norms guide and direct behavior in groups, they can also be viewed as characteristics of a group that differentiate it from all other groups.
Opinion giver
Offers beliefs or opinions about the ideas under discussion
Encourager
Offers praise, understanding, and acceptance of others' ideas and suggestions
Esteem
Once people have developed a sense of belonging, Maslow says, they need respect or esteem. They need to feel not only that they are accepted but also that they are considered worthwhile and valued by others. When we are promoted, recognized, congratulated, thanked, and given awards, our esteem needs are addressed.
Joker
Reflects a lack of involvement in the group's process by telling stories and jokes that do not help the group; lack of interest may result in cynicism, nonchalance, or other behaviors that indicate lack of enthusiasm for the group and a focus on himself or herself
Roles pg 51
Roles are sets of expectations people hold for themselves and for others in a given context. People play different roles in different groups. Researchers have identified several roles that need to be filled in order for a small group to reach maximum satisfaction and productivity.
Safety
Safety needs are for one's security and protection. Maslow called the first two levels of the hierarchy survival needs; satisfaction of these needs is necessary for basic human existence. During childhood years, the family satisfies these needs.
Recognition seeker
Seeks the spotlight by boasting and reporting on his or her personal achievements
Social Facilitation
Social facilitation, or the audience effect, is the tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of others than when alone. Compared to their performance when alone, when in the presence of others, they tend to perform better on simple or well-rehearsed tasks and worse on complex or new ones.
Coordinator
Tries to clarify and note relationships among the ideas and suggestions that have been provided by others
questions of facts
Some questions of fact are phrased such that the answer to the question is either yes or no. Something either did or did not occur. (Although, of course, a yes or no response can be qualified in terms of the probability of its accuracy.) The question "Did the New York Yankees win the World Series in 2009?" is a question of fact—either they did or they did not. Questions of fact like that can simply be looked up online or in library sources and probably don't require group deliberations. On the other hand, a group may be asked to investigate a question such as "Did John Smith violate our company ethics policy last year?"
Either or fallacy
The either/or fallacy occurs when someone argues that there are only two approaches or solutions to a problem; it oversimplifies the options by suggesting we must do either X or Y. "It's either vote for new school taxes or we will have to send our kids to the next county to be educated," claims a parent at a school-board meeting. Usually there are a range of options to consider in any discussion. In fact, one hallmark of successful groups is the ability to identify several options to solving a problem.
Entropy pg 43
The measure of randomness or chaos in a system is called entropy. Systems tend to decay (gain entropy) if not balanced by some countervailing force. For example, interpersonal relationships separated by distance tend to cool rapidly, unless maintained actively through visits, text messages, phone calls, and other social
Self actualization pg 57
The need for self-actualization differs from the other four needs. Maslow termed the other four needs deficiency needs, because individuals subconsciously perceive these needs as inner voids, which they fill by drawing on the resources of other people. Maslow called the need for self-actualization a being need. This need motivates people to try to fulfill their potential and live life to its fullest. They are ready to function as autonomous beings, operating independently in quest of their own full potential. They no longer need groups to take care of their deficiencies; instead, they need groups in which to find and express their wholeness. Participation in service-oriented groups such as Habitat for Humanity may fulfil self-actualization needs in many. Although this need level is perhaps the most difficult to grasp conceptually, Maslow's hierarchy is consistent: People need groups to satisfy interpersonal needs. They also differ from one another in their motivations for joining groups. These differing motivations may be reflected in their communicative behavior in a group. Those who simply want to belong may interact differently from those who need the group's esteem or respect. The higher we move up Maslow's hierarchy, the more important communication becomes in need satisfaction.
Red herring pg 96
The red herring fallacy, which occurs when someone undermines an idea by using irrelevant facts or arguments as distractions, gets its name from the old trick of dragging a red herring across the trail to divert the sniffing dogs who may be following. Someone uses a red herring fallacy to divert attention or distract listeners from the real issues. For example, someone who claims "The real problem is not sexual harassment in the military, but the fact that we need to pay our military personnel more money" is trying to divert attention from the issue of sexual harassment and change the subject to the salary of military personnel. A group member who listens critically will recognize this distraction and return the discussion back to the issue at hand.
Self-confessor
Uses the group as an audience to report personal feelings, insights, and observations
Deductive reasoning pg 91
When using deductive reasoning, make sure that the general premise is true and that you have evidence to support it. The process of reasoning from a general statement or principle to a specific conclusion. is the process of ... drawing a specific conclusion from a general statement or principle. It is the reverse of inductive reasoning.
Inductive reasoning ph 90
When using inductive reasoning, make sure you have enough examples that are typical or representative of other examples and that are recent The method of arriving at a general conclusion through the use of specific instances or examples. method of arriving at a general, or "bottom-line," conclusion through the use of specific examples, facts, statistics, and opinions. For example, suppose you recently bought a used personal computer that didn't work the way it was supposed to when you got it home. You learn that one of your classmates also bought a used computer that didn't work well. Your uncle also bought a used computer from someone who ran an ad in the paper; his computer didn't work properly either. Based on those three examples, you reach a conclusion that buying used computers will give you trouble. You've reached a general conclusion based on the specific examples you know about.
questions of prediction
Will a tuition increase result in the university's having a balanced budget? Will the levee withstand a force-3 hurricane? Will the new airport security measures make air travel safer? A question of prediction asks whether something is likely to occur or may occur under a certain set of circumstances. In the question "Will a tuition increase result in the university's having a balanced budget?" the set of circumstances is a tuition increase. How does a group attempt to answer such a question? Groups look for examples of what happened in similar situations. For instance, the university might survey other universities to see how their budgets were affected when tuition was increased. Groups may also simply use logic and reasoning based on the available evidence to determine what will or will not happen in the future. Will you use questions of prediction when communicating with others in small groups? That's a question of prediction that you'll answer based on your past experiences. Group researcher Dennis Gouran suggests that, when investigating questions of prediction, an appropriate agenda for groups to follow would include these four steps:52
Special interest pleader
Works to serve an individual need; speaks for a special group or organization that best fits his or her own biases
Recorder
Writes down suggestions and ideas of others; makes a record of the group's progress
power basis
Your power base in a group is the sum of the resources that you can use to control or influence others. Because no two group members have exactly the same resources, each member operates from a different power base. What are some of these power bases? John French and Bertram Raven identified five power bases in their study of small groups: (1) legitimate power, (2) referent power, (3) expert power, (4) reward power, and (5) coercive power.47
norming
agreement & consensus (normalized) (look past conflict)
Ground rule 112
are explicit, agreed-on prescriptions for acceptable and appropriate behavior. Undoubtedly your school has rules about what constitutes appropriate behavior: Don't cheat on a test, plagiarize a paper, carry a gun to campus, or consume alcohol in class—these are typical college and university rules. Rules help keep order so that meaningful work can be accomplished. Rules also state what the group or organization values. Honesty, fairness, freedom of speech, and personal safety are typical values embedded in rules. Because teams are usually more structured and coordinated than a typical group
Functional Theory
is a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
Allen's statements pg 150
are simple but untrue generalizations. You have probably heard such allness statements as "Women are smarter than men," "Men can run faster than women," and "Football players aren't good students." These statements are convenient, but they simply are not accurate. The danger of allness statements is that you may begin to believe them and to prejudge other people unfairly based on them. Therefore, be careful not to overgeneralize; remember that each individual is unique.
feedback
as a listener, you can provide verbal or nonverbal feedback. ex: expressing you're confused.
reward power
based on a person's ability to reward behaviors. If you are in a position to help another member gain money, status, power, acceptance, or other rewards, you will have power over that person. Of course, group members are motivated by different needs and goals. What is rewarding to one may not be rewarding to others. Reward power is effective only if a person finds the reward satisfying or valuable. Others must also believe that a person actually has the power and resources to bestow the reward.
leadership
behavior that exerts influence on the group.
major premise
is a generalization or an overall encompassing statement. "All students who take a course in small group communication will have a successful career" is an example of a major premise.
High context culture / low context pg 67
considerable weight is given to the context of unspoken messages.In a low-context culture, such as that of the United States, more emphasis is placed on words and their explicit meaning than on implicit, nonverbal cues.31 Researchers have found that people in low-context cultures give greater importance to task or instrumental issues than do people in high-context cultures.32 In high-context cultures, the expressive or emotional aspects of managing conflict take on special importance. In expressive conflict, the goal is often to express feelings and release tension.33 Keeping the relationship in balance, maintaining the friendship, and managing the emotional climate often take a higher priority in a high-context culture than achieving a particular outcome. Here again, saving face and avoiding embarrassment for all parties are more important in high-context cultures than in low-context cultures. High-context culture. A culture that emphasizes nonverbal communication. Low-context culture. A culture that emphasizes verbal expression.
Bypassing
differences in meanings and words. problems may arise, misunderstandings.
Fantasy symbolic convergence theory
does not mean what it usually does—something not grounded in reality. Rather, it has a technical meaning: Fantasy is the creative and imaginative shared interpretation of events that fulfills a group's need to make sense of its experience and to anticipate its future.15 A fantasy is usually introduced as a story that captures the imagination of the group and momentarily takes the group away from the specific issue under discussion. A group fantasy usually deals with real-life people and situations.
storming
experience conflict (not bad as long as you get through it)
Fallacies
false reasoning that occurs when someone attempts to arrive at a conclusion without adequate evidence or with arguments that are irrelevant or inappropriate. Avoiding reasoning fallacies in your own arguments will enhance your critical-thinking skills. Being able to spot reasoning fallacies that others are using will make you a more discriminating and effective listener. Here are some of the most common fallacies.
Structuration Theory pg 47
framework that explains how people structure their groups by making active use of rules and resources. The theory focuses attention on individuals' behaviors in groups rather than on dynamics of groups per se. It is a process theory that is especially useful for explaining change within groups and organizational systems.two concepts that are important in structuration theory: rules and systems. A system, as you recall, is composed of many interdependent elements. Rules are explicit or implied prescriptions that affect how people behave in a group (system). "Don't talk while others are talking" and "Don't leave the meeting until the boss says everyone is dismissed" are examples of rules. These rules determine how the group structures itself and performs tasks, and how group members talk to one another Structuration theory suggests that when we join a new group we use rules we learned in other groups to structure our behavior.
questions of values
generally produces a lively discussion because it concerns attitudes, beliefs, and values about what is good or bad or right or wrong. Answering a question of value is more complicated than simply determining whether an event did or did not occur. "Which political party in the United States produced the best presidents?" is an example of a question of value. Group members' responses to this question depend on their attitudes toward Democrats, Republicans, or other political parties.
Defensive responses vs. supportive responses
how team members communicate with one another is the main determinate of group climate. in some groups we feel supported or defensive. its our feelings about specific groups that determine who we react to them. when group members feel supported, they can focus on the group versus having to protect / defend themselves. important to building a supportive group climate. climate: not only what we communicate but how we communicate.
Trust pg 121
in groups has been defined as "the extent to which a person is confident in, and willing to act on the basis of, the words, actions, and decisions of another."57 As you participate in a group, you trust those who, because of their actions in the past, have given you reason to believe that they will behave predictably in the future. Group members establish trusting relationships as they develop mutual respect and as the group becomes more cohesive. One interesting piece of research shows that in computer-mediated teams, levels of trust among group members start lower than in face-to-face groups. But over time, trust increases to a level comparable to that in face-to-face teams.
primary group pg 19
is a group whose main purpose is to give people a way to fulfill their need to associate with others. It is primary in the sense that the group meets the primary human need to relate to others. The main function of the primary group is to perpetuate the group so that members can continue to enjoy one another's company. Primary groups typically do not meet regularly to solve problems or make decisions, although they sometimes do both of those things.
minor premise
is a more specific statement about an example that is linked to the major premise. "Mark Stevens has taken a course in small group communication" is an example of a minor premise.
Agentic State
is a state of mind in which a person will allow other people to direct their behaviors and pass responsibility for the consequences of the behaviors to the person telling them what to do. This is a concept in Stanley Milgram's Agency Theory and is one of two states that an individual is in during social situations.
Status 114
is an individual's relative importance. People with higher social status generally have more prestige and command more respect than do people of lower status. People want to talk to and talk about, see and be seen with those of high status.
conclusion
is based on the major premise and the more specific minor premise. In reasoning deductively, you should ensure that the major and minor premises are true and can be supported with evidence. The conclusion to our syllogism is "Mark Stevens will have a successful career."
Cohesiveness pg 51
is the degree of attraction group members feel toward one another and toward the group. Feelings of loyalty help unite the group.
Theory building pg 52
like communication, is a process for organizing and understanding. We begin by noticing consistencies in our experiences, examining relationships among those consistencies, and then building explanations. Based on our explanations, and given a similar situation, we can make predictions about events. Theory building is a common, natural process of human communication. You notice consistencies in your experience and examine relationships among the consistencies. You then build an explanation of the phenomenon that allows you to predict future events and, in some cases, to exercise some control over situations. Some theories, of course, are very elaborate and formal, but even in these the fundamental features of explanation and prediction can be seen. George Kelly's definition of theory refers to these features: A theory may be considered as a way of binding together a multitude of facts so that one may comprehend them all at once. When the theory enables us to make reasonably precise predictions, one may call it scientific.2 Theory is crucial to the study of group communication. The explanatory power of good theory helps make sense of the processes involved when people interact with others in a group. The predictive precision of theory allows people to anticipate probable outcomes of various types of communicative behavior in the group. Armed with this type of knowledge, people can adjust their own communicative behavior to help make group work more effective and rewarding.
Forming
little agreement, unclear purpose, guidance
agents state
psychological state that occurs when subordinates in an organized state hierarchy experience such as a marked reduction in autonomy that they are unable to resist authorities orders. Ex: nazis said they were just following orders. you become a different person/ identity. psychologically you're apart of a group thats stripped you of your autonomy. Ex: terrorists/ isis.
High status members
receive considerable gratification of their social and esteem needs. One of the most powerful forces drawing people into groups is the attraction of high status. High-status group members talk more than low-status members.31 ■ High-status group members communicate more with other high-status members than they do with those of lower status.32 ■ Low-status group members tend to direct their conversation to high-status group members rather than to those of lower or equal status.33 ■ Low-status group members communicate more positive messages to high-status members than they do to those of equal or lower status.34 ■ High perceived status and expertise increase a group member's tendencies to participate actively and to generate positive self-evaluations of his or her own input into the group's task. ■ High-status group members usually abide by the norms of the group more than do lowstatus group members. (The exception to this research finding occurs when high-status members realize that they can violate group norms and receive less punishment than lowstatus group members would receive; thus, depending on the situation, they may violate certain group norms.)36 ■ Group members are more likely to ignore the comments and suggestions made by lowstatus members than those made by high-status members.37 ■ Low-status group members communicate more irrelevant information than do high-status members.38 ■ High-status members are less likely than low-status members to complain about their jobs or their responsibilities.39 ■ Communication with high-status group members can replace the need for the upward movement of low-status members in the group's status hierarchy.40 ■ High-status group members tend to talk to the entire group more than members of lower status do.41 ■ The leader of a small group is usually the member with the highest status. (The exception to this conclusion occurs when the leader emerges because of capability and competence and not necessarily because of popularity. That kind of leader holds a lower status than does a more popular and well-liked group member.)42 ■ What's your status level? Research shows that your perception of your own status in a group closely approximates others' views of you. Group members with high status Such group members Talk more Communicate more often with other high-status members Have more influence Generally abide by group norms Are less likely to be ignored Are less likely to complain about their responsibilities Talk to the entire group Are likely to serve in leadership roles In online groups are more likely to be instructive and use second-person pronouns
Social Loafing
social loafing is the phenomenon of a person exerting less effort to achieve a goal when they work in a group than when they work alone.
expert power
stems from a group member's ability to influence others based on the knowledge and information the member possesses. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. Suppose you are a member of a group studying ways to improve the environment of the river in your community. If one of your group members has a PhD in aquatic plant life, that person's knowledge and access to information give him or her expert power. More than likely, that person can influence the group. However, just because a group member has knowledge does not mean that he or she will exert more influence in the group. The group must find the knowledge credible and useful.
Legitimate power
stems from a group member's ability to influence others because of being elected, appointed, or selected to exert control over a group. Legitimate power comes from occupying a position of responsibility. The principal of a school has the legitimate power to control school policy; the senators from your state have the legitimate power to represent their constituents. Many of the privileges enjoyed by high-status group members reflect this kind of power base. A small group member who has been elected chairperson is given legitimate power to influence the group's procedures.
Revolutionary coalition
sub group formed within the larger group that seeks to disrupt or charge the groups authority structure
adjourning
task completion. good feeling about achievement.
Coercive power
the negative side of reward power, is based on the perception that you can be punished for acting or not acting in a certain way. The ability to demote others, reduce theirsalaries or benefits, force them to work overtime hours, or fire them are examples of resources that can make up this power base. Even though coercive power may achieve a desired effect, group members usually resent threats of punishment intended to make them conform to group norms. Punished group members often try to dominate in other interactions or escape from heavy-handed efforts to accomplish a group goal.
Referent
the power of interpersonal attraction. Recall from Chapter 3 that people are attracted to others whom they admire and want to emulate. Put simply, people we like have more power over us than people we do not like. Expert power stems from a group member's
Groupthink
the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility.
Charge 113
the purpose of the team, group, or committee—the team should take some time to discuss its ground rules so that each person clearly understands and agrees to them.
Lucifer effect
the transformation of benign individuals into morally corrupt individuals by powerful, but malevolent, social situations, named for the biblical characters lucifer, an angel who fell from grace and was transformed into satan. good apples become sour overtime by poor! ex: standford prison experiment.
Stages of Group Development
uncertainty—about the group, about its goals, and about each member's place in it—is at its peak. How you communicate at this sensitive stage of group development provides the basis for future interaction.
performing
use vision and purpose. perform. presentation.
Secondary groups pg 20lea
which accomplish specific tasks such as problem solving, decision making, and learning. exist to accomplish a task or achieve a goal. Most of the groups you belong to at work or school are secondary groups. You are not involved in a committee or a class group assignment just for fun or to meet your social need for belonging (even though you may enjoy the group and make friends with other group members). The main reason you join secondary groups is to get something done.69 There are several kinds of secondary groups to which you may belong at some point in your life.
Task roles pg 105
which are aimed at accomplishing a group's goal. There are also two other role categories
